Automatic yarn inspector comprising double integrating means and electronic calibrating means

ABSTRACT

A detection system for inspecting strands of elongated material such as yarn, fishing line, sutures, cord, string, thread and the like while being advanced longitudinally individually or as a multiplicity in sheet form and for inspecting fabric and web materials. A lamp provides a beam of light applied to the material being inspected which impinges on photoresponsive means that provides voltage signals when defects occur in the material being inspected. A circuit is provided for generating signals corresponding to selected ones of the voltage comprising an integrating circuit receives these corresponding signals and generates composite signals the amplitude of which depends on the quantity and amplitude of the corresponding signals produced in preselected periods of time. Length-adjust means adjust the quantity of the corresponding signals which will be integrated to determine the length of the defects which are detected on the material being inspected.

United States Patent Inventors Howard Charles Lindemann Westbury;Seymour Phillip Zalkin, New Rochelle: Conrado Willems, Bayside, all of,NY. Appl. No. 827,117 Filed May 19, 1969 Patented June 8, 1971 AssigneeLindly & Company, Inc.

Nassau County, N.Y.

Continuation of application Ser. No. 490,773, Sept. 17, 1965, nowabandoned which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.142,373, Oct. 2, 1961, now abandoned.

AUTOMATIC YARN INSPECTOR COMPRISING DOUBLE INTEGRATING MEANS ANDELECTRONIC CALIBRATING MEANS Primary Examiner.lames W. LawrenceAssistant ExaminerT. N. Grigsby Attorney-Robert E. Burns ABSTRACT: Adetection system for inspecting strands of elongated material such asyarn, fishing line, sutures, cord, string, thread and the like whilebeing advanced longitudinally individually or as a multiplicity in sheetform and for inspecting fabric and web materials. A lamp provides a beamof light applied to the material being inspected which impinges onphotoresponsive means that provides voltage signals when defects occurin the material being inspected. A circuit is pro-' vided for generatingsignals corresponding to selected ones of the voltage comprising anintegrating circuit receives these 3 Claims 30 Drawing Figs?corresponding signals and generates composite signals the am- U.S. Cl250/219, plitude of which depends on the quantity and amplitude of the66/ 1 63, 356/238 A corresponding signals produced in preselectedperiods of Int. Cl G01n 21/30, time. Length-adjust means adjust thequantity of the cor- GOln 21/16, D04b 35/12 responding signals whichwill be integrated to determine the Field of Search 250/219 length ofthe defects which are detected on the material being (S); 66/163;356/238 inspected.

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SHEET 12 0F 21 AMPLIFIER No.2

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PATENTEU JUN 8197i SHEET 18 0F .21

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PATENIED JUN a ran sum 19 or 21

1. A detection system for inspecting strands of elongated material suchas yarn, fishing line, medical sutures, cord, string, thread and thelike while being advanced longitudinally individually or as amultiplicity in sheet form and for inspecting fabric and web materialscomprising, circuitry having a lamp from which emanates a beam of lightrelative to which the material being inspected is moved transverselythereof and including photoresponsive means on which said light impingesto provide voltage signals when defects occur in the material beinginspected, first circuit means connected to respond to said voltagesignals for generating corresponding signals from selected ones of saidvoltage signals, second circuit means connected to receive saidcorresponding signals in a configuration responsive to saidcorresponding signals and including integrating circuit means forgenerating composite signals the amplitude of which depends on thequantity and amplitude of said corresponding signals produced inpreselected periods of time, means responsive to each of said compositesignals generated controlling the movement of said material, in responseto at least some of said composite signals and lengthadjust means toadjust the quantity of said corresponding signals said second circuitwill integrate to determine the length of the defects which are detectedon said material being inspected.
 2. In combination an automaticphotoelectric inspector apparatus and an electronic calibrator forinspecting strands of elongated material, yarn, fishing line, medicalsutures, cord, string, thread and the like while being advancedlongitudinally and as a multiplicity in sheet form and for inspectingfabric and web materials comprising, a detecting head comprising asource of light, an optical system cooperative with said light sourcehaving an optical axis for projecting a substantially collimatedinspection beam of light rays across the strand or sheet of strands tobe inspected, means providing at least one guide surface over which saidstrand or sheet of strands pass when being inspected comprising meansfor disposing said guide surface substantially parallel to said opticalaxis, a photoelectric unit having means disposed for receiving the lightbeam rays after projection across said strand or sheet of strands andcomprising pulse generating means to generate discrete pulsesrepresentative of discrete defects detected by the light beam and inresponse to modulated light rays causing variations of the amount oflight in said beam due to said defects, control circuitry connected tosaid pulse generating means for establishing variable pulse amplitudeeffective levels representative of a variable lower limit of diametersof the defects to be detected, and actuating means responsive only topulses within said limit of amplitudes, an electronic calibratorcomprising, means for generating a pulse, a differentiating circuitconnected to receive said pulse and sharpen it, a monostable vibratortriggered by said pulse connected to receive said sharpened pulse, apulse shaping network for shaping the pulse to a preselected shape,means for applying the output of said vibrator to said shaping network,and means controllable for establishing a variable amplitude level forsaid pulses so that the amplitude level is indicative of a predeterminedvalue of a physical variable.
 3. In combination an automaticphotoelectric inspector apparatus and an electronic calibrator forinspecting strands of elongated material, yarn, fishing line, medicalsutures, cord, string, thread and the like while being advancedlongitudinally individually and as a multiplicity in sheet form and forinspecting fabric and web materials comprising, a detecting headcomprising a source of light, an optical system cooperative with saidlight source having an optical axis for projecting a substantiallycollimated inspection beam of light rays across the strand or sheet ofstrands to be inspected, means providing at least one guide surface overwhich said strand or sheet of strands pass when being inspectedcomprising means for disposing said guide surface substantially parallelto said optical axis, a photoelectric unit having means disposed forreceiving the ligHt beam rays after projection across said strand orsheet of strands and comprising pulse generating means to generatediscrete pulses representative of discrete defects detected by the lightbeam and in response to modulated light rays causing variations of theamount of light in said beam due to said defects, control circuitryconnected to said pulse generating means for establishing variable pulseamplitude effective levels representative of a variable lower limit ofdiameters of the defects to be detected, and actuating means responsiveonly to pulses within said limit of amplitudes, said electroniccalibrator comprising, means comprising an astable multivibrator forgenerating a negative pulse, a differentiating circuit connected toreceive said negative pulse and sharpen it, a monostable vibratortriggered by said pulse connected to receive said sharpened pulse, apulse shaping network for shaping the pulse to a preselected shape,means for applying the output of said vibrator to said shaping network,and means controllable for establishing a variable amplitude level forsaid pulses so that the amplitude level is indicative of the level of aphysical variable.